Glass E^iSH.
Book jnZ2,
ADDRSSS
or TRB
KEFUISIilCAM YOUi^G SEEW
OJ
THE TOWN OF GALWAY,
COrXTY OF SARATOGA,
TO THEIR
FBZiZiQ-W CXTIZaiffS.
BAIiljSTON 8PA :
PRINTBD BY 3. COMSTOCK.
isai.
Mr a Meeting of the Republican Young Men of
!lio tn',vn o^ G-^lwnv, friendly^to the present Ad-
.it ihe l:-i'.se of Jotsse II
./. i,<e Glhof Sept. 1828—
:'.l Alli.'-^ Was. culled to the Chair, and
v^iJAOiAH Platt chosen Secretary.
The following Address was read and unans-
Biously adopted.
To the Electors of the County of Saratoga i
The uiuleisigned are a coininiitee, seleuieJ by ilie Young
Men of Giilway, to address you upon the subject of llie ap-
proacliing Presidential election, lii the present contest i'or a
Chiof [Magistrate, unlike the last, we are limited in our choice
to the two candidates now before the public — John Qjincy Ad-
ams and Andrew Jacl.son. It is inbe'idfof Mr. Adams that
ne cheerfully and confidently address you ; and in doing it we
shall not repeat the praise so justly his due, and so liberally be-
stowed upon him fom one end of the Union to the other. He.
has been tried to the utmost and found to be able and faitliful in
the discharge of his duties. Washington, JcfTorson, ftladison
and Monroe, have all honored him wiili their confidence and the
first offices in the Union, and but six years ago it would Iiava
been thought atrocious calumny if any one had called in ques-
tion his republicanism and integrity. What then shall we think
of those men who liave formerly acted with him — who have
known the secrets of his conduct, and who have united their voi-
ces with the rest of the nation, to praise and to honor him ; and
now forsooth, because he will not sloop to reward them with offi-
ces and salaries, have abandoned hiiu and the republican party,
and united to abuse both .''
No falsehoods have been so mean and despicable — no artificee
»o weak and contemptible, but they were graspeil at by his ene-
mies and used with the utmost address to ruin him. What ban
been the result ? Every falsehood has been expos«'d — every
artifice detected, and every charge triumphantly refuted. Mr.
Adams' cliaracter has coine out brighter for the abuse that lias
been heaped upon him : His enemies have only showed in more
glowing colors iiis intfgrily, worth and talents.
But what has been their conduct respecting Gen. Jackson ?
They complain bitterly of the calumnies that have been heaped
upon him ! And why has so much been said against him ? Be-
cause by presenting him as a candidate for the Presidency, ihey
have by their conduct (tliough carefully avoiding it by their
words,) challenged a scrutiny into his character : And if we taku
their own words lur our authoriiy, no man was ever presented to
the public so destitute of qualifi(;ations for office, and so worthy
of re))roaches from a virtuous comniunity. Conscious of this,
the)' are unwilling to allow the least investigation of his charac-
ter — with regard to him they are unwilling the pressshoiild speak
the trutli, aiul the voice of the people they feijn would siiflrt in
jiubiie and in private. Tenderly alive to his rfpuratioi): (fov -
/'
/
iht'it own is involved with it,) the least discussion of his merits i»
BMwered wiili the cry of slander, abuse and ingratitude.
We /)i<y their situation. VVe will grant their request and our-
selves say nothing of his unfitness for office — of his foibles and vi-
ces. We own that a proper regard for the honor of our country —
that duty to ourselves and to the nation seem to demand a dif-
ferent course. But we refrain from the humbling aiui morti/yitig
task, out of compassion to them, and we are thankful we can do
BO with safety to the republic. We are not necessitated to do
otherwise, becau.se they f;ave done it for us. We will therefore
present you with only the words of his own friends, respecting
hi'i moral and political character. We take this course to stop
the mouths of liis friends ; to prevent thein from saying wc have
raised our voices to slander him. What thei/ have said we can-
not help, and hovsever repugnant it may be to their fesliiigs, they
cannot with any propriety object to our laying before you their
own declarations, that you may judge of his fitness for the office
of President.
■ At the close of Mr. Monroe's administration, there were four
candidates for the Presidency — Messrs. Adams, Clay, Crawford
end Jackson. It must be well retnembered by all, that most of
those in tliis State who are nnw in favor of Gen. Jackson, were
then supporting Wm. H. Crawford. Of course they were as
much at enmity with Gen. Jackson as they were with Mr. Ad-
ams. What they then said of his political character, you shall
see by extracts from their own papers. Of John C. Calhoun,
(whom they have associated with Gen. Jjickson, as a candidate
for the office of Vice President,) Mr. Noah, one of their advocates
in this State, has said that" they make a positive charge of coa-
lition, bargain and sale. His whole course in his brief but fatal
race for the Presidency, lias been distinguished for traffics — the
erection of presses — the division of the republican part 1/ — the en-
couragement of faction, and drawing around him a set of men of
broken fortunes and reputation ; of, in short, introducing more
distraction and mischief in this country, rtian have ever before
been known." Yet this is the man they recommend to you,
now, as a pure and spotless republican.
Their other papers of the same date speak as foUows of Gen.
Jackson :
" We do not quarrel with Mr. Jackson for his belief of the dis-
solution of the democratic party. But we object to Ins claims as
the democratic candidate ; and to the claims which have been set
np by his friends, in defiance of all fact, as the supporter of the
interest of the republican party. Let him stand upon his own
declaratioijs, ai the disclaimer of all party stjpport, and let rcpub-
licanj rt'iri ember, that the «a/por«o/ Ai/rt 13 tlie ahandormtnl of
themselves."
The well known oracia of the Jackson party — the A'.bmy Ar-
gus, in 1S24, says furtlier, that
" The/ac<ts c/cnr that Mr. Jackson has not a swiKie feeling
in common with therepiihlicnn party. Tim reverse of tliat — he
desires, and makes a merit of desirinsf the total czlinclinn of it."
" It is an idlr thing in this State, however it nriy be in otiie/.i,
to strive cvan for a moderate support of Mr. Jackson. He is
wholhj out of the. question as hr as tlie votes of Xrw- Vurk are in
it. Indfpenilently of the disclosures of liis political opinion!!, he
could not he the republican r.ar.iidatc. He is respected as a gal-
lant soWi'er, but he stands, in the minds ol' the people of this
state, at nn immcasurahlc distance from the Executive chair."
" His habits, aside from his^oWtcs, are quite too su-mmamt
for that."
" The course adopted by Mr. Jackson is food and rnimpv.t to
the federalisss -.MnVno party men. It is pleasant to ail who .strive
for tiie destruction of tiie democratic party. The;/ will every
where applaud, as they have preached it, and will macnifv the
AUTftoii of doctrines which are so well intended Foii their
SEIIVICE."
" The political notions of Mr. Jackson cannot be mistaken. —
Under the artful disguise of elevatini; men most conspicuous for
their probity, virtue, &c. he is bent vpnn the destruction of the
republican par:y."
These, we c()nf;>s, are heavy charges aijainst Gen. Jackson'*
political principles. Dut thos-e who are his fiieniis now, wero
well apprised that they had the best of authority ftr so prorlaiiii-
inc; them to the public. His ccuuiuct " hile a iiicinberol tiielloti-
ventiou that framed the Cxinstitution of Tennessee, fully warratlt-
ed them in making these assertions.
The provisions v.'hich he sough.t to have engrafted in that Con-
stitution were lliosa :
1. No man should he q salified for a member of the Legisla-
tor?, unless iie posoessed a freehold of two hundred acrt-i of
land.
'2. That no man should hold the office of Governor, unless h«
possessed a freehold of 000 acres of laud.
3;l. That no man should vote, unless he possessed a freehold —
and
4'.h. If a man possessed a freehold in one counts', he jiiould be
entitled to one vote, if he possessed a freehold in two Cuunlies,
ho should be entitled to two votes ; and if he possessed a Ap«l"d(i
in three countiSF, he should bs entitled to three. vut(*i,— an;! so
•«, s» that a rieh man could giva.a namher o^ votes, while a jBa#r
man could not rote at alL His argameius and votes in favor of
tliese aristocratic and anti-republicaii principles, are recoided in
the journali of the convention, and speak the principles of the
man.
Another as well antlienticatct] fact, is his unrelentintr animosi-
ty to the fatlier cf our country. When General Washington re-
tired from office. General Jackson was a member of Congress
from Tennessee.
That body voted an address of thanks to the veteran and a-
postle of liberty, bur to th: disgrace of our republic, there were
men determined to withhold that consolation from his grey hairs.
General Jackson was one of them. We blush to own his vole is
so recorded in opposition to the best, most wise, and most patri-
otic of men. We agree with his supporters, now, though so late-
ly hi« honest opponents, that we have no confidence in his polit-
ical principles. We agree with them that '.hey had cogent rea-
sons for prociniming iiis anti-republican principles, and we wiU
continue on their authoriti/ and on the auikorily of the public I'cc-
t>r(/s to warn the honcit yeomanry of the state, against the dan-
ger of elevating him to the Presidency. But for some marvellous
leason, best known to the actors, the pulltical scene is strangely
thified. Either General Jackson has renounced his anti-repulili.
can and aristocratic principles, and joined the republican party,
or his present supporters have abandoned that party and joined
him. They have abandoned it in the support of bini, or they nev-
er belonged to it, and if we judge riglu of tlie political complex-
ion of their leaders, we should say they never belonged to it.
Among them we see but few old republicans, and we recognize
many who were stigmatized as the agents of the enemies of our
country in distracting her councils, and par.ilysing her efforts for
independence. Cut v.'e will not quarrel witii his present support-
ers about i/ieiV republicanism, if thej' will show us his, and if they
will point us to the time of his remarkable somerset iu favor of re-
publicanism, we will grant him full absolution for bis political sins.
fFftcn was it during the past four years that he took this turn ?—
Is fouryt'ars so long that they have forgotten the dai/ of liis po-
litical regeneration ? Or has it not yet passed ? If it has passed
at all. it is not long since, for if we believe their own words, lie
was/owe years ago, an enemy to the republican party, and "hciit
vpoii ill destructi<jn." -
We ask again — ichen was it within the past four years, that he
joined the republican standard ? By what act are we apprised of
his conviction ? We confess wo know not the time, and we see
'Bot t!ic ticfj that bids u3 i;rcci him as a meuibcr of tlie rrptibhcwB
party. Hii fricudu In iliis state, shut him out four yftartago, and
hig friends at the South, iisve not strcngtliened his rlaiuis up-
on our coiifit'ence. Tliey profess to be, and tliey wouici luive us
think they are, the only repubhcan* of the naiioii, yet ihcy refuse
ubedience to alaw passed by the representatives of tlie people,
arid one in whicli they had more than a proportioned representa-
tion. We thouErlit tlio motto "the majority siiould rule" was the
watch-word of Republicans. Ho'.v admirably is it exemplified by
tlie Jacksosiians of the South L Sure it must be the very sidvit of
Republicaiiifm, that prompts liicm to rebel against the will of the
innjority of the nation. They profess to be patriots — zealous fof
the hoiror and ii\terests ^i ihe union — y©t because a law supposed
to he at variance with tk;-ir interest — though of acknowledged u-
tilily to ihe \vho!e — be enacted, they thiftaten disunion and civil
war. Their governouis boldly defy the national government,
which they have sworn to support, and to secure a change in the
administration, threaten us with the interference of England in
their behalf. Fellow citizens, these things are so. VVe see an
unwillingness prevails to believe them. It is natural. And it ix
the policy of General Jackson's friends in this state, to conceal it
from you. They deny it in the face of all fact. VVe do not ask
you to take our statements, or the statements of any administration
paper, but we wish, and we ask you to read for yourselves, the
Jacksonian papers of the South, and then judge of their claims to
be the only republicans and patriots of the nation. They tell a
tale we ourselves can hardly believe — they publish their own dis-
grace, and warn us to be vigilant, if we would preserve the peace
and happiness of the Union.
Of General Jackson's mor«? character, we will present you a-
gain with tlieir own picture,-and we will give you the grounds
from which they have sket(;K^d it.. Preparatory to the last pres-
idential election, there was a legislative caucus held in Columbia,
for the purpose of nominating John C. Calhoun, for the presiden-
ey. After the speeches in favor of Mr. Calhoun were made, And
tiie motion to nomitiale moved, Gen. Glasscock, of Edgefield dis-
trict, moved to amend the motion, hy striking out John C. Cal-
houn, and inserting Andrew Jackson. This motion was second-
«d. There was considerable excitement, on account of this mo-
tion to amend, to allay which Mr. Pinckney, editor of tlip Chsries-
«on Mercury, and now a warm and prominent iu^porterof Geneiii
Jackson, made the following speech :
"Mr. Chairman — I am astonished that any man sho^dd l\v\-b
• ppeared here to night, to mar our proceedings, when, ii is welt
fojBwn, that the object of our meeting was to nominate John C.
6tilhoun, for the presidency. But, whea we are in»ulted with tha
8
Komiaotion of the moit perfect tyrant upm earth, the ifiao wh*
sets laws at dtfianre ; wlio is stoiiied wiih vices of iha deepest
DVE ; and v/ho'ic iri It alone \i\ni rule of conduct, whose life has
been cliiefly tlistiiigiiislied by brutal violations of private right,
my asioiiisluneiit ran lifirdly be expressed, 1 had rather see tlie
arch imrigtier Crawford, the plodding systematic yankee, ^c/aOT»,
or ti)e unprincipled Clay ; nay, any citizen, liowever high, oi
however low, nmde president, than this MILITARY DESPOT.
1 liope you will take tlie vote upon my motion, and settle the
question at once."
Hire, you have the honest opinions of tliose wiio are noto Gen.
Jackson's fi iends, respecting his moral character, and we would
liav<; you remember, that even in that hour of excitement, they
gave Mr. Adams no character of which lie need be ashamed. —
It is not to be presumed that even now, zealous as they are in tha
support of Gen. Jackson, llipy will deny themselves and say that
ti)ey iheii made unjust charges against his character. They
take a difierent course. They will not — they cannot be/brccrf to
saj' one wold lespecting the charges they then preferred against
liiin ; biit they continue to repeat, over and over again, his praise,
until it has become stale and fulsome : making a mockery of
the lives of such men as Jefferson and Madison. We have quo-
ted only one of their expressions, because our limits would not
allow us to quote more ; and we have selected it, because it ix
a pitiiy suia.uing up of the whole. Indeed it is a serious
charge.
" Vices of the deepest dye !"
These, if we mistake noi, include assassination and murder, and
we will see upon what authority they dared to make this
charge. 'V
Doubtless one authority was his shooting Mr. Dickinson. They
quarrelled about a /to;'se race, and the Hero op Nkvt Orleans
wsii pleased to show his bravery and sense of honor, in a person-
al conflict with Mr. Dickinson. They fought. Gen. Jackson's
j)istol snapped. Mr. Dickinson's fire was ineffectual, but he
stood firm and silent. Was there no appeal to the General's gen-
erosity for a defencel-ts man ? No ! Sure of his victi}n — he cock-
ed his pistol — took deliberate aim and shot hiuidead. We would
not rob him of lUe glo7-y that he won, or envy the complacency
of his temper. The deed was his, and let iiim enjoy all its re-
wards, and ail its honors. Another ground for the charge of mur-
der, was his execution of Arbuthnot and Ambrister.
By the common law, as laid down by Sir Edward Coke, (3d
inst. 52) " ]f a Lieutenant or other that hath commission of mili-
tary authority, deth in time of peace, hako, or otkerteisc execute
an^ nan, b^ color of Martial iUie, thin ii Muiujbr." The 5ili
;iriicle to the adiendmeiiis of tlic constitution, prohibits capital
punishments, unless nn indictment, except " in tinie of tear ot
public (ianges- :" find (lie OStii article of " Rules, &c." requires
the proceedings in omj case extending to loss of life, in time of
peace, to be laid beCuie the President, &l\ Now, that we were
at peace, we will give you Gen. Jackson's own testimony ; for
on the very day that he put these criminals upon their trial, he
wrote to the Secretary of War in the following words :
" The Indian forces have been divided and scattered — cut off
from all communication with the unprincipled agents of foreign
nations, who have deluded them to their ruin ; they have not the
POWKii, if the will remain, of a^ain annoying our frontier."
Ytit, in defiance of the constitution, he put these men upon
their trial, in which their lives were involved. And this is not all.
In ilefiaMce of the scntcnca of Iiis own Court Martial, he ordered
them both executed, when he knew at the same time, that one
onlj' wiis sentenced to death, and the other sentenced to impris-
onment. These facts are proved by public documents — by the
records of the Court Martial that tried the convicts, and b)' the
General's order for their e.Kscution. If in your opinion he is e.x-
cused for puttinc; them on their trial, in violaiion of the constitu-
tion, by the " necessity of the times," (the never failing plea of
tyrants) how was he justified for putting Arbuthnot to death, when
he was only sentenced to imprisonment ? In this, if in nothing
else, he is a murderer. And it was a murder committed under the
most aggravating circumstances. We will lay aside the fact of
their both being tried unconstitutionally, and take this act alone.
If we had room to lay before you,8 true account of the evidence
produced against Arbuthnot, you would all concede, that he was
entitled to much clemency from the court, if not to an acquittal.
As a prisoner, he was entitled to all due clemency from the court
and from the General, and as a man, he was certainly entitled to
the j3co/ec?»o» of tlie laws. If he was not entitled to their pro-
tection, it is clear that he was not subject to them. If he was
subject to the jurisdiction of the court, no man, however high iu
authority, had a legal or moral right, to inflict a greater punish-
ment tlian what the court judged proper to award. And further,
|f Gen. Jackson had a right to put him to death, after his trial, in
violation of the sentence of the court, he had a right to put him
to death before. If he had that right — if the victim waa doomed
before trial to suffer death, let the sentence of his judges be what
It would, then why did Gen. Jackson go through with the mock-
ery of a trial. If he had not, it would have been better for his
reputation. For in (hat «aie, tha record end tba judginont of
ti
10
the court would never liave been left lo reveal tlie secret, that
the prisoner only merited imprisonment at most. In Ireland, ju-
ries have been packed, wiinessess have heen bribed, and every
means have heen made use of to procure n sentence of deatli a-
gaiiist unfortunate rebels. But even in that land of tyranny, the
sentence of those courts has been observed, let them he wtiat
they would. But ihe English government is no longer supreme
in sin. It is left for America — free, enlightened America — the
boasted land of equal justice, liberty and laws, to exhibit the
monstrous inconsistency of a constitution violated, of laws disre-
garded, and of the merciful sentences of her courts being but the
prelude to arbitrary, wicked and atrocious murders. Gen. Jack-
so?i"s political friends, now seek to connect this case of Arbuth-
not'a, with that of Ambrister, and to excuse the execution of
both, on the plea that it was an act of retaliation. But General
Jackson never made this plea himself, for the very good reason
that he had no right to claim it. Tlie Court Martial, of which
Gen. Scott was president, has decided that " Acts of retaliation
on the part of a nation prnml of its rights, and conscious of the
power nf enforcing them, should be reluctantly resorted to, and
only by instrl'ctioks from the highest aotkobity."
Where, we ask, were Gen. Jackson's instructions f The fact is
he had none. He took it upon himself, regardless of consequen-
ces, to make his own tcill his rule of conduct.
Another ground, for their accusing him of" Vices nf the dee-
pest DYE," was his attempted assassination of Senator Benton.
This happened in tlie year 1813. ' We prefer giving you Col.
Benton's own account of it, both because his name and charac-
ter is sufficient authority for the truth of it, and because not a
particle of that account has been gaiiisayed or denied, by Gen.
Jackson or any of his friends, although it has been frequently
published in every part of the Union.'
Franklin, (Tenn.) Sept. 10, 1813.
" A difference which had been some months brewing between
Gen. Jackson and myself, produced, on Saturday the 4th inst. in
the town of Nashville, ihe most outrageous AFFRAY ever wit-
nessed in a civilized country. In communicating this affair to
my friends and fellow citizens, I limit myself to the statement of
a few leading FACTS, the truth of which I am ready to estab-
lish by judicial proofs.
"1, That myself and ray brother Jesse Benton, arrived in
Nashville on the morning of the affray, and knowing of General
Jackson's threats, went and took our lodgings in a different hotise
from the one in which ha ittayad, on purpo«« to avoid him.
11
"2. Tlint the Oci'.ei'Bl and boidb of Ins fiieiidj earns to th«
house where we liad put up, co'nmciited an ailack fty LliVEL-
LING A PISTOL AT Mli, when 1 had no wenpon drawn, and
advancing upon me at quick pace, without giving mo time to
draw one.
"3. Seeing this, my brother fired upon Gen. Jackson, whan
he had got within eight or ten leet of me.
"4. That four otlier pistols were (ired in quick succession ; one
by Clen. Jackson at me, two by me at the (.ieneral, and one by
(Jol. Coffee at me. In tiie course oftiiis firing, Cuu. Juckaoii
was brought to the ground, but I received no luirt.
'■5. Tliat daggers were then drawn. Gohjnel Coffee and Mr.
Alex. Donaldson made at me and gave me five slight wounds.—
Capt. Hammond and nir. i^IL'^ely Hays, engaged my brother,
who being still weak from the etTccK« ..I „ "^?ie wound he lately
received, was not able to resist two men. They go? imiII ^own,
and while Capt. Hammond beat him on the head, to i!."ike hiiii
lay still, Mr. Hays attempted to STAB hiio, and wounded him
in both arms as he lay on his hack, parrying his thrusts with his
naked hands. From this situation, a generous hearted citizen of
Nashville, Mr. Summer, relieved him. Before he came to tlifi
ground, my brother clapped a loaded pistol to Mr. Hays' bieast,
to blow him through, but it missed £re.
"6. My own and my brother's pistols carried two balls eat! _:
for it was our intention, if driven to arms, to have no child's pi».v.
The pistols fired at me, were so near, that the blaze of tne nuijz;
zlcofoneof them burnt the sleeve of my coat, and the other
aimed at my head, at little more than arms length distance
from it.
"7- Capt. Carroll was to have taken part in the affray, but wiis
absent by the permission of Gen. Jackson, as he has since proved
by the General's certificate, which reflects less honor, 1 know iiu'
whether upon the General, or upon the Captain.
"8. That this attack was made upon me in the house » I
the Judge of the district, Mr. Searcy, had his lodgings ! So hiii..-
are the laws and its ministers respected ! Nor lias the civil au-
ihorilv yet taken cognizance of this horrible outrage.
THOMAS HART BENTON,
Lieut. Col. 39th Infantry."
What Gen. Jackson's provocations were for this attempt to kiU
Mr. Benton, we cauiiol say. But we can fancy none whirl; couiti
justify Gen. Jackson in thus breaking the jaws of both God and
man. U'e leave this transaction to speiik for itself. We leave it
for you to deLide upon the propnclv o; elevating to the liigheit
12
oKe« HI ths Bation, tlie man, wlio, ifliabad perpetrated his
crimes in this State, or in any other State, wlieia tiie laws are en-
forced, would have been doomed to expiate them in a punishment
errtainiy not less than imprisonment. Who, among tliose we
now address, would have escaped a just punishment for sucli
crimes ? How admirahly must his mind be prepared to execute
the laws with vigilance and impartiality — laws which he has so
often and so openly violated. With what confidence eould we
look up to him as the father of our country — as the protector of
our liberties, and the preserver of our institutions ? We confess
our apprehensions. VVe agree with Gen. Jackson's friends, that his
^nomination is an insult to the community, and we cannot but re-
gret that they who were so lately proclaiming these truths from
their public oracles, should now embrace him, and connect their
fortunes witii his. It is no flattering cor--;'!iment to tiie moral sense
and intelligence of Americiins. It verifies the ancif.nt maxim,
that "X^»s ave iike cobwebs — great flies break through them,
wbile little one's on'y are caught." And we are willing also, to
leave the question for republicans to determine, whether they will
elevate to the presidency, a man whom his friends say, and whom
ublic documents prove, to be anti-republican and aristocratic in
lis piinciples, and who, according to their language, is " the most
perfect tyrant upon earth — the man who sets laws at defiance —
who is stained with vices of the deepest dye — and whose will a-
lone is his rule of conduct, whoso life is chiefly distinguished by
brutal violations of private right."
No matter, if they now deny the depravity of his character. —
They liave again and again proclaimed it in living colors, and
from the best of evidence. That evidei^ce still exists and his
.character is still the same. We have now, nothing but the inter-
ested assertions of his supporters, to strengthen our confidence
in the value of his moral and political character. And if what
they assert now, is true, what they asserted four years ago was
false — if what they asserted four years ago was faUe, we leave it
for oil tojudge of the credit to xvhich they now are entitled. For
ourselves we unhesitatingly give our support to Mr. Adams. Mr.
Jefl*erson, who was well acquainted with his talents and integrity
recommended him to the notice af Gen. Washington, by whom
he was selected as a minister resident to the Netherlands. Since
that period he has enjoyed the utmost confidence of Washington,
Jefl'erson, Madison and Monroe, and has been continued by them
in office wi;h the approbation of the republican party, and of the
nation at large, liut there were other candidates for the presi-
dency at the last election, and it is the disappointed pariizans of
all these, that have no* uuited to oppose him- If, however, they
I
15
svoulJ dt'ntroy ilie conRileiiM which all true republicans repose in
him, they niust show that iie has abamloneil that party and the
principles it supports. Have they done so ? And if they would
destroy the contidence which tiie nation generally repose in him,
they must point us to some act of his, calculated to weaken tliat
confidence. Have threy done so ? We kr.ow they have not. —
They have attempicd it, hut failed.
Oi' General Jackson, all know we have only repeated what his
friends themselves have said. Award that the contradictions in
ilieir conduct, oiiL;ln to destroy all confidence in their assertions,
we have given the proofs which warranted them in making those
charges upon his ciiaracter. Most of their proofs are publie doc-
uments, which originated with himself. They disclose facts
wiiich if he or his friends dare deny, the denial would only add
another proof of their disregard for truth, and for their own char-
acters. Other charges have been preferred against Gen. Jackson
— which we shall udt poa- discuss ; not b'.'cause they are unjustly
made, and he successfaUy defended from them, but because they
are unimportant in comparison with those we liave examined. —
If irus, they cannot add a deeper slain to his character, and if it
were passible for his friends to prove them false, their success
could not free him from other "cruisis of the deepest dye."
But we disclaim all iuteniion of endeavoring unjustly to excite
prejudice against him. We are not und^r the necessity of ma-
king false charges or unfair insinuations, while these charges — so
true, and so well supported by facts, have heretofore been urged
against him by his present supporters. Nor will the peculiar turpi-
tude of his crimes, be urged with an unnecessary severity. We
will nut descend to scandalize him, as his friends have done before
lis — but we let facts speak for themselves — let a just sense of the
crimes be has committed have only its proper influence upon the
public mind, and the result is not to be feared. If they do not im-
press upon all, the conviction of his entire unfitness to be our
chief magistrate, no crimes will — no character can be too black
for our support. How admirably must his mind be prepared to
execute the laws he has so ofien and openly violated ! With what
confidence can the nation look up to him as ihe guardian and pro-
tector of the constitution, who has so frequendy violated its pro-
visions ? It is to the candid and intelligent of all parties, that this
paper is addressed — to those who have the independence to look,
and who can see for themselves, that we make this appeal. Tlie
question is not merely, whether we will have a republican, or a
federalist, for a president — but whether we will have a good or a
bad man to fill that office — whether we will have otvo who is an
lienor and a treasure to his country, or ens who is a murderer, and
14
a disgrace to it — whether we will retain Iiim to govern us, froiij
whom we have every thing to hope, or whether we will call him
to be our ruler, from whom we have every thing to fear ? These
are the questions yoii are to decide — and we leave tlie subject
for your serious consideration, believing you will bastow upon it
all the attention its importance requires. The citizens of New-
Orleans, have declared their determination by an overwhelming
majority. It was over them that Gen. Jackson ruled with such
despotic sway. It was over them that he displayed his tyranny.
If any people can appreciate his civil qualifications, his worth, or
his talents, <Aej/ ca?t ; and if any people can judge correctly of
his unfitness for office, surely it is the citizens of New Orleans. —
They have decided. If he rules again, it is not by their votes. —
Their election has passed, and the republicans of Louisiana ad-
here still to the honor and interest of thoir country— —Go ye
and do likewise.
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